By BiSM1LLah-empiritrage. Area Rugs and Pads. At Wednesday, January 09th 2019, 08:24:35 AM.

For choosing the correct rug pad, use the following guideline. A pad needs to provide 3 main functions. For one, it should hold the rug in place on the floor. Two, it should provide a cushioned support. Third, it should protect the floor from harm. There are many different types of pads in the marketplace today. But finding one that can provide all 3 of the main functions we describe can be a challenge. Most rug pads satisfy the function of keeping the rug in place and not slipping. There are thin and thick open mesh types of pads that are made in China and coated with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) that do a great job of keeping rugs from moving on the floor. This same type of product can be found domestically where it is coated with a natural rubber vs PVC. This product does an effective job of keeping the rug from moving as well. Other products that provide good non-slip properties include the felt rug pads that are coated with a natural rubber. So for satisfying this non-slip function in a rug pad, there are many options to choose from depending on your budget.

Hard wood and even marble floors, although a plus in home design, tend to be slippery and can cause mishaps. With infants crawling and kids running around, it is not far from reality that something might spill or a small toy might be dropped or left behind. And so, it is also highly possible that somebody might accidentally slip and get hurt especially in areas with high foot traffic and daily indoor activity. Safety-wise, this is where area rugs come in. Area rugs are good additions to hard wood and marble floors. Although they tend to shift and slide because of their temporary-installed nature, using a rug pad or even an anti-slip spray to prevent it from moving from one place to another will surely decrease impact of accidental falls. This also prevents unwanted sliding or shifting of furniture such as dining tables and sofas.

For finding pads that do not harm floors, in our experience with the pad industry, the domestically made rubber backed products to include the open mesh and felt products seem to perform best for not harming floors. The felt products without rubber backing are also functional for not harming floors.. The pads that seem to cause the most problems are the PVC products from China. For the most part, we feel, these products will not harm floors. But there have been circumstances we have heard about where they have been blamed for causing harm. In speaking with industry experts about coating PVC, we know that coating PVC is a very delicate process and must be controlled to the exact specifications each time. The curing oven must be set to the proper curing temperatures. The coating speed must be exact every time. The PVC coating compound must be made to the exact same specification each time. Any variance in controlling the coating specifications could cause the PVC coated pad to be too tacky or too dry. Being too tacky is the biggest issue with harming floors as it could stick to the flooring and then there is an issue with how to remove it without harming the floors.